Due to the increased commercialization of pet products and particularly pet toys, there are now a wide range of commercially available pet toys with distinct functions. Pet toys can be made from many different types of materials along with a nearly limitless number of shapes and colors.
One general category of pet toys is those made of a flexible or elastomeric material, such as rubber. These toys, if made from quality materials, can withstand the biting action of an animal, and can keep an animal occupied for extended periods of time. It is known to place treats in these types of toys to increase the interaction of the animal with the toy. A sound emitting device, often referred to as a “squeaker,” is also known to be placed inside the toy to further stimulate the animal. Many rubber pet toys are made of a single layer of poor quality rubber material. An animal may therefore chew through and destroy the pet toy in a relatively short period of time.
Another general category of pet toys are those which may generally be referred to as “plush” toys. These types of toys are made from different types of cloth or fabric, and may also include material woven into strands, such as nylon rope. A plush toy is typically stuffed with a fibrous material, such as polyester stuffing, to provide the toy with an increased thickness or bulk that enables the animal to chew on the toy. Because the fibrous material is not strong enough to prevent the teeth of the animal from fully penetrating the outer cloth or fabric covering, plush toys are prone to being easily destroyed by the animal chewing through the outer covering. Plush toys may also include squeakers to further stimulate the animal.
Whether a pet toy is made from a flexible/elastomeric material or is a plush toy, the most common construction is one in which the pet toy has a single layer that defines the dominant characteristic of the pet toy in terms of its responsiveness to being chewed or otherwise played with. For example, a rubber toy with a single layer will typically deform in a uniform manner once it is chewed, and the toy will otherwise respond to activation by the animal in a uniform or consistent manner. If a squeaker is incorporated within the pet toy, the activation of the squeaker can similarly be defined as reacting uniformly to activation by the animal chewing on the toy to generate sound. For plush toys, the reaction or response can also be generally characterized as being uniform or consistent, considering the toys are typically made from a single layer of material and are stuffed with a single type of material.
Considering the common forms of construction for many types of pet toys, there is a need to provide a pet toy with integrated yet distinct materials that may help to better stimulate an animal with multiple responsive features achieved by use of materials that have variable elasticity. There is also a need to provide a pet toy that is robust enough to withstand the prolonged biting action of an animal, but is relatively simple in construction and therefore can be produced at a reasonable cost. There is also a need to provide a pet toy that is constructed in a modular form in which parts of the toy that may be more easily destroyed can be replaced without having to dispose of the entire pet toy.
The invention described below provides solutions to many limitations in the prior art, yet incorporates a construction that is robust enough to withstand the prolonged biting action of an animal. The invention also provides a pet toy that is relatively simple in structure, but provides multiple distinct features which may enhance an animal's interaction with the pet toy.